Chapter 616

A middle-aged man walked up to a small courtyard, and the two female cultivators beside him respectfully clasped their fists and said:

"Greetings, Elder Ximen."

"It's fine. Where is your young lady?"

"She's inside."

Elder Ximen nodded and walked inside.

Elder Ximen wields tremendous prestige in Paolong Sacred Land; he is a Unity Dao Stage grand cultivator, an Existence that many can only hope for but never attain.

"Mu'er." Elder Ximen called out, and a girl walked out from the house, looking at him with a weary face.

"Father."

Seeing his daughter's frail appearance, Elder Ximen felt a pang of heartache, stepped forward, and stroked her head: "Mu'er, how have you been lately?"

The girl was none other than Elder Ximen's daughter, Ximen Mu, also one of the renowned young ladies of Paolong Sacred Land.

Ximen Mu wore a bitter expression, shook her head, and said: "It's fine, Father; I just can't eat anything—I'm not going to die."

"Eh! How can you say that! As your father, I promised your mother I would never let you suffer the slightest injustice! Now that you've had this strange illness for several decades, my failure to find a cure is my responsibility!" Elder Ximen exclaimed, anguished.

Ximen Mu looked helpless: "Father, this illness isn't something you gave me; I contracted it myself, it has nothing to do with you."

"No! Listen to me; there are still thirty catties of medicine here—take it and try."

"Three... thirty catties?"

Ximen Mu's face turned pale, but seeing her father's gaze, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

"Then... Father, you leave it here; I'll eat it."

"I'll watch you eat."

Ximen Mu: "......"

After a while.

Elder Ximen left the small courtyard holding his head; Ximen Mu's condition showed no improvement, which made him very worried.

"Those alchemists are utterly useless! They can't even cure my daughter's illness—I've been feeding them for nothing!" Elder Ximen snapped angrily.

The surrounding cultivators lowered their heads and hastily stepped aside, fearing that the hot-tempered Elder Ximen would catch them and unleash a tirade.

"Elder Ximen....."

"Get lost! Can't you see I'm in a bad mood?"

The person who arrived was none other than Feng Yue.

Feng Yue clasped his fists and said: "Elder Ximen, I am Feng Yue, Hall Master of the Internal Affairs Hall of the Outer Gate; I have come to the Inner Gate this time mainly concerning your daughter's illness...."

"Huh?!"

Elder Ximen's eyes widened; he suddenly appeared before Feng Yue and grabbed his shoulder: "What did you say?!"

"Um... easy, easy!!"

Elder Ximen realized this was merely a Nascent Soul Stage minor figure, unable to withstand his strength—it was normal—so he quickly released his grip and anxiously asked: "Do you have a solution?"

"Yes, please Elder, tell me about the young lady's condition." Feng Yue said with a smile.

Elder Ximen frowned: "Shouldn't you already know about this?"

"It's like this: my subordinate alchemists reviewed the recent records of the Lian Dan Tang and discovered this matter. I told him about it, and he seems to have formed some speculation about the young lady's ailment, even concocting a pill hoping to relieve your worries, Elder...."

Elder Ximen furrowed his brow: "No need for nonsense; I recall you're a follower of Pang Mingde, so why come straight to me instead of telling him? What's your motive?"

Feng Yue's heart jolted; he immediately clasped his fists and said: "Elder Ximen, please understand—we only have some speculation about the young lady's condition and dare not claim a sure cure, so we came merely to ask if you'd be willing to give it a try. If it fails, that will be my overstep, unrelated to Elder Pang."

Elder Ximen nodded: "By rights you aren't qualified to see me, but since you mean well, I won't investigate how you found me. Bring the pill; let me have a look."

"Yes." Feng Yue breathed a sigh of relief, glad Elder Ximen didn't press further.

By rights, although they are both considered high-ranking figures of Paolong Sacred Land, their strength and status are worlds apart.

Elder Ximen is the Grand Elder of the Transmitting Skills Hall of the Inner Gate, already at the late Unity Dao Stage; in two years he will surely become one of Paolong Sacred Land's Supreme Elders, so Feng Yue, merely a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, indeed lacks the qualifications to see him.

However, this time, seeing an opportunity, Feng Yue pulled some strings in the Inner Gate, went through Pang Mingde's connections, entered the Inner Gate, and managed to locate Elder Ximen.

Speaking frankly, such a thing is not permitted; Outer Gate and Inner Gate elders ought not to have any dealings, which is a major taboo within the sect.

On the surface that's the case, but as long as it stays hidden in private, no one speaks of it and it's fine.

However, if brought into the open, that would be challenging the sect's bottom line.

Elder Ximen took the medicine bottle, opened the cap, gave it a sniff, and furrowed his brow: "Huh? What kind of pill is this?"

"Delightful Pill."

"What's it for?"

"It's only good to eat."

Elder Ximen's eyes widened: "What do you mean? Are you just messing with me?"

"No, no, please hear me out." Feng Yue, sweat beading on his forehead, hurriedly explained: "Because the young lady's condition has persisted for years without anyone finding a cause, we speculated that perhaps she isn't ill at all but suffers from a strange anorexia."

"Anorexia?" Elder Ximen looked puzzled: "What symptoms does that entail?"

"As someone who grew up in the sacred land, Elder, you might not know; among ordinary people, the manifestation is simply being unable to eat. But the young lady is also a cultivator; if there's no physical problem, it could merely be that she doesn't want to eat. This Delightful Pill is meant to stimulate her appetite." Feng Yue said.

Elder Ximen nodded: "Alright, I'll take it and try. You may go now; if it works, I will surely thank you properly."

"Thank you, Elder!"

Feng Yue departed with apprehension; Elder Ximen narrowed his eyes, poured the Delightful Pill into his palm, and examined it closely.

"It really has no medicinal potency at all—not even any pill toxicity?" Elder Ximen looked bewildered.

"Can this even be called a pill?"

"Forget it; let Mu'er try it first."

Elder Ximen had indeed gone to beg the Sect Master or even the Great Vehicle Stage Supreme Elders; they merely said the timing wasn't right, leaving Elder Ximen with a headache, yet unable to voice his frustration, so he could only devise his own ways to cure his daughter.

Anyway, it's just a single pill—let's give it a try.

Afterwards, Ximen Elder returned to the small courtyard and again found Ximen Mu lying on the bed digesting thirty catties of medicinal pills.

Upon seeing the father return again, Ximen Mu was frightened and hurriedly hid behind the bed, looking at the father: "Father, you're back again?"

"Mu'er, try this pill; it might help."

"Really?"

Ximen Elder hesitated: "This pill.... has no medicinal effect, just try it."

"Huh?"

"Has Father finally reached the point of desperately seeking any cure for the illness?"

Ximen Mu covered their swollen belly, shaking head: "I-I-I.... I won't eat!"

"Be obedient, it's just one pill."

"It won't be like that ball-shaped pill, right?"

"Nothing of the sort." Ximen Elder took out the Delicious Pill and held it before them: "Look, I didn't lie to you. Be good, try eating it. Once your illness gets better, I'll take you out for a big meal."

Ximen Mu half-believing, half-doubting took the Delicious Pill; upon smelling it, they felt something was different all over.

"This pill smells so good.... I'm hungry."

Ximen Mu swallowed their saliva and ate the Delicious Pill.

"Huh!!"

Ximen Mu's swollen belly suddenly deflated; the thirty catties of medicinal pills they had just eaten suddenly erupted with tremendous, terrifying medicinal power.

"Father, I..."

Ximen Elder also sensed something was wrong, immediately stepped forward and exclaimed joyfully: "Mu'er, don't panic, the medicinal power is being digested!!"

"I'm so hungry, Father!!"

"Let me help you digest the medicinal power first; I still have two hundred catties of medicinal pills here, eat them slowly."

"Huh!!"

Feeling hunger for the first time in their life, Ximen Mu sat down, cultivating while eating medicinal pills, and their strength rose steadily.

Ximen Elder was overjoyed: "Good, good, good, this Delicious Pill actually assists the medicinal power—truly a wonderful thing!"

Moreover, watching them grab handfuls of medicinal pills and stuff them into Ximen Mu's mouth, Ximen Elder felt delighted; seeing them grow plumper, they believed Mu'er had finally been cured of their illness and become even more lovable.

Thus, the father and daughter spent three full days and nights, one helping to pass food, the other voraciously consuming pills.